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In an effort to comply with FFP rules, BARCELONA is willing to trade defender Jules Kounde.
The defender has previously been linked to transfers to Chelsea and Manchester United, and both teams may be keeping an eye on him in January.
Raphael Varane was first pick last year, but his form has seen him slip to fifth choice at times as United has battled at center-back this season.
After appearing destined to go last summer, Harry Maguire’s career has taken a turn for the better this season, but his future is still uncertain.
Due to injury, Lisandro Martinez has also missed the majority of the season.
The fact that 36-year-old Jonny Evans has made 17 appearances for United this season speaks volumes about the severity of the team’s injury problems.
Kounde, a 25-year-old, signed with Barcelona in the summer of 2022 and was crucial to the team’s championship run the previous year.
However, he has found it difficult to maintain that form this season and was accountable for two of Barcelona’s goals in their 4-2 Copa del Rey loss to Athletic Club.
Rumors that the defender was unsatisfied at Camp Nou led to preliminary links between United and the player last summer.
According to reports, Chelsea and Kounde had an agreement to sign the defender last season.
The player ultimately decided on Barca, but Chelsea is now free to pursue Kounde once more.
Sport, a Spanish publication, claims that there are “enormous concerns” about Kounde’s form.
According to the source, the club is open to considering bids for Andreas Christensen, a former Chelsea player.
Barcelona signed Kounde for a whopping £42.5 million, and they will be trying to recover as much of that as they can.